Lilly Endowment Awards $70M to Religious Organizations

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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded nearly $70 million to 78 religious organizations throughout the country. The funding is part of the endowment’s Thriving in Ministry Initiative and aims to support pastors in congregational ministry.
The organization says the grants will allow the recipients "to help clergy thrive as pastoral leaders so they can lead the congregations they serve more effectively." The recipients are located in 29 states and include theological schools, faith-based colleges and universities, congregations, denominational agencies, independent religious organizations, and religious communities reflecting diverse Christian traditions.
"Leading a congregation today is multi-faceted and exceptionally demanding," Christopher Coble, vice president for religion at Lilly Endowment, said in a news release. "Pastors have shared with us that they often find themselves isolated from colleagues and sometimes struggle to keep up with new challenges posed by today’s rapid pace of change. When pastors have opportunities to build relationships with experienced colleagues, they are able to understand and negotiate new challenges and their leadership thrives. These promising programs will help pastors develop these kinds of relationships, especially when they are in the midst of significant professional transitions."
The grants vary in amount from $31,500 to $1 million an will fund programs that run from two to five years. You can view the full list of recipients in the document below.
Additionally, Lilly Endowment has awarded a $2.6 million grant to Duke University to provide resources and other support to organizations in the Thriving in Ministry Initiative. The organization says Duke will convene program leaders for mutual learning and networking.